Improvement in grain-separator



liiniiftd. States @anni (attire.

Lette/rs Patent No. 91,805, dated .Tune 22, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAIN-SEPARATOR.

The Schedule referred to :in these Letters Patent and-making part of the same.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, S. M. Wrnrs and L. SWIFT,

of Hudson, in the county of Lenawee, and in the State v 'combined rocking-spout and screen.

Third, in the construction and arrangement of an adjustable wind-board.

Tn order to enable others skilled in the art to which our invention appertains to make ande use the saine, we will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, which `form a part of this specification, and in which- Figurel is a longitudinal vertical section of the grain-separator, showing all of our improvements;

Figure 2 is a side view of the rocking-spout and screen; and

Figure 3 is a side view of the device by which the motion is communicated directly in the centre of the machine.

A represents the frame of a grain-separator; B is the drum, containing the fan-shaft C and fan D; E represents the shoe, containing one or more screens; F is the screen below the shoe, resting on rollers a a and G is the hopper; all of which parts may be made in any of the known and usual ways.

In the centre of the ian-shaft C is a crank, b, which is surrounded by the slotted or` forked lever H, which has its fulcrum in the centre of a stationary bar, I,

and is, at this point, provided with arms, c c', one of which extends upward and the other down.

The arm c is, by a rod, d, connected with the shoe E, and the arm c', by another rod, il', with the screen F.

The lever H is, also, by a rod, c, connected with the combined rocking spout and screen J, hereinafter to be described.

It will thus be seen that the slotted or forked arm or lever H gives motion to the shoe, and the combined vscreen and rocking spout, as well as the screen below,

and, by this arrangement, the leverage is direct, giving ease to the operation of the machine.

The arm or lever, working from the centre of the machine, takes hold of all the parts to be operated, directly iu the centre, giving a direct, smooth, and gliding motion to the shoe, so necessary in the carrying overoats, in the cleaning of'wheat, or in the separation of oats from wheat; whereas, in the old way,

when the screens and shoe are operated by alever, arm, bell-crank, or cross-bar'at the side of the mill, there is always more or less vibrating motion communicated to the screens by the machinery, causing the oats to be thrown down through the screens, instead of being carried off at the tail-end of' the mill. Besides, it will be seen that it would be impossible to work our combined rocking-spout and screen directin any other way.

The combined rocking spout and screen consists of two semicircular end-pieces, surrounded with suitable wire netting around the rounded portion, the straight portions being, at the sides, connected by bars, g g, thus' forming a complete semicircular screen, provided at one endwith a spout, h.

This screen is pivotedat its upper ends, in the centre, to the sides of the frame A, in an inclined position, and the connecting-rod e attached to one of the bars g.

The advantages of this rocking spout and screen are, its economy in material and construction, making, at the same time, a spout, and one oi' the most eiicient screens that can be constructed; for the grain, by its own gravity, is kept close to the screen, which raises a portion of itat each vibration of the spout, thereby forcing, to a great extent, the foul stufi` through the screen, which edect is not produced in a fiat-surfaced screen, having suicient pitch to carry the grain with proper speed over its surface. It also makes one of the best spouts for depositing the grain in the bushel,

vkeeping the grain oi the door, and obviating the necessity of elevators.

One side of the hopper G is a slide, t', moving in grooves, and is, ou its under side, provided with a ratchet, in which gears a pinion, 7c, placed on a shaft, m, operated by a crank on theoutside of the mill, whereby the man turning the machine can, at any moment, regulate the feed, without the inconvenience of stopping the mill, and going around to the tail-end of the mill to raise the slide, which 11e must frequently do-in mills constructed in the old way.

The bar I, which is stationary in the sides of` the rframe A, and serves as a fulcrum on which the lever H rest-s, is made by putting a dowel in its centre, wit-h a bar of round iron, which' serves for a bearing for the lever. This bar is, however, made adjustable, so that it can be turned in any direction desired, and rendered y stationary in whatever position it is deemed necessary to place it.

This may be done by securing said bar to the sides of the mill with screws, that may be loosened or tightened at will; or it may be done in any other suitable and convenient manner.

A board, K, is nailed, or otherwise secured, to the under side of the bar I, which serves to vstrengthen the bar, and, at the same time, acts as a wind-board,

to direct the blast np'on the riddle, in chang, and, on the screen below, in the cleaning of unchalied grain. This is done by turning the bar, with the windboard, in anydesired direction.

The proper position of the wind-board in the manufacture of mills, and the cleaning of grain, is of great importance. In the old way, they are generally nailed in, and if displaced, there are not many farmers who -know how to adjust them properly. In this device,

necting-rods d, d', and e, whereby motion is contributed to the slice E, screen F, and rocking-spout and screen J', directly in the centre' of the machine, substantially as and. for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The semicircular rocking screen and spout J, constructed as described, and operating substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. The arrangement of the adjustable bar I, and wind-board K, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that wc claim the foregoing, we have hereunto set our hands, this 3d day of March, 1869.

l S. M. WIRTS.

L. SWIFT.

Witnesses:

A. W. OcKoBocK, T. W. ToLcHARD.' 

